History will be made in this weekend’s A-League Women’s fixture between Perth Glory and Sydney FC in Launceston, with three Tasmanian referees taking to the field in an open-aged national level match for the first time.
Lauren Hargrave and Claire Green have both been selected as Assistant Referees for the fixture which kicks off at 4.05pm on Sunday at UTAS Stadium, while Lucy Nothrop will be the fourth official.
Football Tasmania CEO Matt Bulkeley congratulated Ms Hargrave, Ms Green and Ms Nothrop, saying the appointments highlighted the benefits of having increased elite-level football in Tasmania.
“The Tasmanian football community will be very proud to see Lauren, Claire and Lucy refereeing an A-League match on their home soil,” he said.
“Their selection is testament to their talent, but also years of hard work and shows other young Tasmanians involved in football that the sky is the limit.
“Lauren has proven to be a trailblazer for Tasmanian referees, becoming the first Tasmanian to be named on Football Australia’s international referee panel earlier this year.
“It is great to see her joined on the national stage by Claire and Lucy, who have just broken into the ranks of A-League refereeing and also promise to have big futures ahead of them.
“The appointment of these three referees shows just how important having even more elite games in Tasmania is, in order to maximise exposure to the highest level of football and inspire referees and players alike to achieve their goals.
“We look forward to continuing to work with the A-League, individual clubs and the Tasmanian Government to make more games in Tasmania a reality and eventually having a team to call our very own.”
Ms Hargrave, Ms Green and Ms Nothrop all said they were relishing the opportunity to perform on the national stage in their home state.
“I am very excited to be able to finally share the experience of an A-league Women’s game with my family and the broader Tasmanian football family,” Ms Hargrave said.
“I am grateful that in my first A-League Women’s season I have been given an opportunity to experience a game on home soil with my family and friends. Sharing the pitch with fellow Tasmanians will make for an extra special experience,” Ms Green said.
"The opportunity to come back to my hometown and share the experience of an ALW match with my family, friends and football family means so much to me," Ms Nothrop said.
Perth Glory vs Sydney FC kicks off at 4.05pm on Sunday 27 February at UTAS Stadium in Launceston.
The match will be followed by Perth Glory hosting Western United in the A-League Men’s.
Tickets are available from Ticketmaster here.